Edmund b



PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904.

E. B. POWERS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY SERVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. 5. 1903.

no MODEL.

Patented January 26, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND B. POWERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. ASSIGNOR, BY DIREOT AND MESNEASsIeNMENTs, To RAILWAY OAR SIGNAL & EQUIPMENT OoM- PANY, OE PORTLAND,MAINE, A CORPORATION OE MAINE.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY SERVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,781, dated January26, 1904.

Original application filed April 8, 1902, Serial No. 101,880. Dividedand this application filed March 5, 1903. SerialNo. 146,266. (No model.)

To (all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, EDMUND B. POWERS, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Safety Devices for Railway Service, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to means for automatically displaying signals inthe cab of a moving locomotive for the information of the engineer orother occupant of the cab.

The Object of the invention is to lessen the danger of collision andother railway accidents by providing means whereby the engineer may benotified by signals within the cab to proceed with caution under certaincircumstances and for displaying a danger-signal and also automaticallyapplying the brakes when the conditions are so dangerous as to requirean immediate stop. 1

The signals are operated by vanes analogous to the usual semaphore-armsplaced near the track at dangerous points and set by switchmen or othertrack attendants or otherwise and arranged to be struck by an armsecured to a transversely-arranged shaft carried by the locomotive. Theextent of motion imparted to the shaft is governed by the height atwhich the vane is placed relatively to the height of the arm passingbeneath it and correspondingly determines the nature of the signaldisplayed.

As 1 have carried out the invention the movement of the arm through ashort are in escaping below a vane displays a green light and ac tuatesa whistle in the cab as cautionary signals, and the movement through alonger are caused by passing avane at a lower elevation displays a redlight as a danger-signal and automatically applies the air-brakes.

The invention consists in certain novel arrangements of parts andmechanism by which the above-mentioned objects are attained and also incertain details of construction to be hereinafter described.

ed the operating-vanes.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show apreferred form of the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the interior of a locomotive-cabequipped with my invention as seen from the rear and also showing themast or standard on which are mount- Certain details of the 5 5locomotive equipment not specifically related to the invention areomitted. Fig. 2 is a corresponding vertical section of a portion of thecab, showing the invention in elevation. The remaining figures are on alarger scale and 60 Show portions detached. Fig. 3 is a side elevationshowing a preferred means for automatically applying the air-brakes.Fig. 4 is a face view of the automatically actuated switch for operatingthe light-signals by elec- 5 tricity and also shows the manner ofconnecting from a storage battery or other source of electricity. Fig. 5is aside view of the whistlesignal mechanism. Fig. 6 is a plan view,partly in horizontal section, showing the at- 7 tachment of the armto'the shaft.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

A is the boiler of a locomotive, which may be of any ordinary orapproved type, and A 75 is the usual cab over the rear portion. Thecontrolling, indicating, and operating equipments (not shown) for thelocomotive may be of the usual or any approved construction, as will beunderstood.

Transversely of the cab, preferably above the roof, extends a shaft B,mounted in supports or bearings B, in Which it is free to turn. Theoverhung ends are provided with collars B B serving to prevent axialmovement, one 8 5 of which, B, carries an adjustable arm B at a rightangle to the shaft and standing normally in a vertical position near theedge of the roof, adapted when its free end contacts with an obstructionin its path to be deflected 90 out of the vertical and correspondinglypartially rotate the shaft B, the extent of the rotation depending onthe angle of deflection of the arm in escaping beneath the obstruction.

For the latter I prefer to use a device analogous to a semaphore-signaland consisting of a vertical mast or standard M of suitable height setfirmly alongside the track and carrying strong narrow wings or vanes M Mpivotally mounted in its upper end and adapted to be operated by wires MM or other suitable connections by a switchman or other attendantthrough any suitable mechanism, either by hand or automatically. Onevane, M, is mounted higher than the other, M or is arranged to maintaina higher position transversely of the path of the arm B on the movinglocomotive, and thus cause the arm to be deflected, but in a lesserdegree, in passing beneath it than by the other or lower vane M Bothvanes are adapted to hang idly in pockets in thestandard when notrequired to. be set for service and are thus removed from dangerousproximity to passing trains.

On the shaft B, at suitable points, are alever B and finger B", adaptedto swing through arcs in unison with the arm B extends downwardlythrough a longitudinal slot (6 in the cab-roof and lies adjacent to aswitchboard C, across the face of which it is adapted to sweep.

C is a switch turning on a center C and contacting successively withpoints C C arranged in an are about the center and having a handle C bywhich it may be moved. The switch lies normally on an insulated portionC of the arc, with the handle C in the path of the lever B (1 and C areincandescent electric lamps set in the interior of the cab in a locationto be plainly seen by the engineer when he is at-his post'and arrangedto be illuminated by a current from a storage battery 0 carried on thelocomotive and connected, as shown, to the switch C, contact-points C Cand lamps G G as indicated in Fig. 4:. C may be understood as indicatinga green light or cautionary signal and C a red light or dangersignal.The former is connected to the first contactpoint (3* and the latter tothe second or outer point C Thus arranged the action of the upper vane Mupon the arm B is to force the lever B partially across the face of theswitchboard, carrying with it the switch C, leaving the latter upon thecontact-point 0* and showing the cautionary signal or green light to theengineer. The act of passing a standard on which the lower vane M hasbeen set throws the lever farther and moves the switch to thecontact-point C and displays the red light or danger-signal.

It will be seen that by setting the desired vane located at a point atthe commencement of a block or at the approach to a switch or otherdangerous portion of the road the corresponding signal, either cautionor danger, will be displayed in the cab of any passing locomotiveequipped with my invention. In practice I prefer to locate two standardsat The lever B suitable distance apart near dangerous points on the roadand arrange the first to display the green or cautionary signal and thesecond to show the red or danger signal.

In the most complete form of the invention two additional signals areemployed operated by the finger B, abovereferred to. The first is awhistle D, actuated by the lesser movement of the arm B" and serving asan additional cautionary signal. It consists of a whistle operated bycompressed air and connected to the pressure side of the air-brakesystem and held in the closed or inoperative condition by a spring-dog Fengaging a detent F on the whistle valve-stem F in opposition to theforce of a spring F, tending to turn the stem and admit air underpressure to the whistle-bell. The dog F is connected by a chain F orotherwise to the finger B, which lies normally in an approximatelyhorizontal position and when turned by the partial rotation of the shaftpulls upon the chain and releases the valve-stem, thus providing anaudible cautionary signal in conjunction with the visual green-lightsignal. The whistlesignal is reset by forcing the arm F against thetension of the spring until the detent is again engaged by thespring-dog. Attached to the same finger is a slightly longer chain Gconnected at the lower end to a springcatch G, engaging an annular latchor collar G arranged to slide on the spindle G of theair-brake-operating valve G and subject to the expansive force of'ahelical spring G, inclosing the spindle and abutting against thestuffing-box or other fixed portion of the valvecasing. with the collarthe spring is of no effect, and the spindle may be moved axially by thebrake-lever G as usual, in applying or releasing the air-brakes; but sosoon as the arm' 13* contacts with a low vane N 2 the increased rise ofthe finger B takes up the slack in the chain Gr and releases the springG, which immediately exerts its force to move the airbrake valve in thedirection to apply the. brakes and bring the train to an immediate stop.The action of the spring G may be resisted by the engineer through thelever G if the sudden stop is undesirable; but the pressure exerted bythe spring is sufficient to warn the engineer if his hand be on thelever, in connection with the simultaneouslydisplayed red light, thatdanger is imminent, and if the brake-lever be free the brakes will beautomatically applied.

H H are springs of equal tension, each at: tached at one end to thelever B and at the other to convenient points on the cab and serve tomaintain the arm B* in the upright position, while allowing it to bedeflected in either direction, as required, by the forward or backwardmovement of the locomotive.

To allow the backward movement without derangement, I prolong the slot aon both While the catch is in engagement' sides of the shaft B and alsoprovide a slot through which the finger B may descend idly.

The arm B" is mounted adjustably in the collar B and may be set up ordown therein to produce the required degree of deflection in passingbeneath the vanes. It is held in place by the set-screw Z).

The vanes may be painted green and red, respectively, and serve asadditional tracksignals for the engineer if they are so situated as tobe easily seen. The vanes may be mounted in the standards withprovisions for adjusting them vertically, as will be understood.

Importance is attached to the location of the arm B" at the edge of orextending a short distance beyond the cab-roof, for the reason that whenso placed it may be operated by vanes not reaching overthe roof andtherefore not liable to strike projections on the trains and also avoidthe danger of accident to trainmen on the roofs of the cars, which isgreatly increased by rigid arms or brackets extending across the tracknear the level of the car-roofs.

By providing both an audible and visible automatic cautionary signal forthe engineer the chances of both being unheeded are very remote, andwhen an immediate stop is necessary to avoid an accident the display ofthe danger-signal and the effort automatically to apply the brakescannot occur unnoticed by the engineer unless he be suddenlyincapacitated by accident or illness, in which case the brakes will beapplied automatically and the train brought to a standstill.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions of the partswithin Wide limits without departing from the principle of the inventionor sacrificing its advantages.

Changes in form and arrangement of parts may be resorted to within thescope of the protection prayed, the shaft B may be otherwise located,and the whistle and air-brake looks otherwise operated. It is alsoevident that a greater number of signals may be operated in the samemanner by correspondingly increasing the vanes, &c.

The construction of the electric switch may be varied, as may also themechanism for operating the whistle and applying the brakes.

All the parts and equipments not specifically described will beunderstood to be of any ordinary or approved construction andarrangement.

That portion of the invention relating particularly to means forapplying the brakes, excepting in so far as it may be understood to be asignal to the engineer, is not specifically claimed in this application,but is made the subject-matter of a separate application filed April 8,1902, Serial No. 101,880, of which this application is a division.

I claim- 1. In an apparatus of the character set forth, ashaft mountedin the cab, an arm adjustably secured to the shaft, adapted to bedeflected by contact with an obstruction in its path and partiallyrotate said shaft, connections from the latter to signals within thecab, and a plurality of such obstructions each independent of the otherand arranged at difierent heights to act each independently of the otherand adapted to induce correspondingly diflerent degrees of deflection ofsaid arm, and means whereby said differences in deflection actuatecorrespondingly diflerent signals in said cab through the medium of saidshaft.

2. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a shaft mounted in thecab, an arm adjustably secured thereto and adapted to be deflected bycontact with an obstruction in its path, two or more signals within saidcab, connections from said shaft for actuating said signals successivelyby differences in the degrees of deflection of said arm, and a pluralityof such obstructions each independent of the other and arranged atdifferent heights relatively to said arm on independent pivots on acommon support and adapted to induce correspondingly difierent degreesof deflection of the latter.

3. In an apparatus of the character set forth,

a shaft mounted in the cab, an arm secured thereto adapted to bedeflected and correspondingly partially rotate said shaft, meansextending at right angles from said shaft and at right angles to saidarm and connections to actuating means for a plurality of signals withinsaid cab, in combination with a plurality of relatively stationary vanesarranged at different heights relatively to said arm and in the path ofthe latter, adapted to induce correspondingly different degrees ofdeflection of said arm, whereby said signals are succes sively operated.

4. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a shaft extendingtransversely of the cab, an arm secured to said shaft adapted to bedeflected and correspondingly partially rotate said shaft, connectionsfrom the latter to actuating means for a plurality of signals withinsaid cab, arranged to be actuated successively by increased degrees ofdeflection of said arm, and a plurality of independent obstructions onindependent pivots and arranged in the path of said arm, and meansforvarying the height of the arm relatively to said obstructions toinduce the desired deflections. 5. The combination with alocomotive-cab, of a shaft mounted therein, an arm secured to said shaftand adapted to partially rotate the latter by the deflection of said armin contacting with an obstruction in its path, a series of independentobstructions mounted to extend at right angles to said arm in differentplanes, a lever mounted on said shaft and extending into said cab, saidobstructions being mounted on independent pivots, an electric switchoperated by the movement of said lever, a lamp-signal within said cab,and a source of electricity and connections therefrom to said switch andlamp-signal whereby the movement of said lever will luminate saidlamp-signal.

6. The combination with a locomotive-cab, of a shaft mounted therein, anarm secured to said shaft and adapted to partially rotate the latter bythe deflection of said arm in contacting with an obstruction in itspath, a plurality of independent obstructions mounted in differentvertical planes to extend into the path of said arm, a lever mounted onsaid shaft and extending into said cab, said obstructions being mountedon independent pivots, an electric switch having a pluralityof'contact-points and operated by the movement of said lever, aplurality of lamp-signals within said cab, a source of electricity andconnections therefrom to said switch, contact-points and lampsignals,whereby a movement of said lever in one direction will luminate one ofsaid lampsignals and a further movement of said lever in the samedirection will luminate a second lamp-signal.

7 The combination with a locomotive-cab, of a shaft mounted therein, anarm secured to said shaft and adapted to partially rotate the latter bythe deflection of said arm in contacting with an obstruction in itspath, a plurality of independent vanes mounted in different verticalplanes to extend into the path of said arm, a whistle located in saidcab and mechanism for operating it, said obstructions being mounted onindependent pivots, and connections from said shaft for actuating suchmechanism and sounding said whistle.

8. The combination of a locomotive-cab, a shaft mounted therein, an armadjustably secured to the shaft at right angles thereto and adapted topartially rotate the latter by the deflection of said arm in contactingwith an obstruction in its path, a plurality of independent obstructionsmounted in difierent vertical planes to extend into the path of saidarm, a finger carried by said shaft, said obstructions being mounted onindependent pivots, a whistle located in said cab and mechanism foroperating it, locking means for holding said mechanism in an inoperativecondition, and connections from said finger to said locking meanswhereby a partial revolution of said shaft will release said operatingmeans and sound said whistle.

9. The combination with a locomotive-cab of a shaft extendingtransversely thereof, an arm secured to the shaft and adapted topartially rotate the latter by the deflection of said arm in contactingwith an obstruction in its path, a finger carried by said shaft, awhistle located in said cab and mechanism for operating it, connectionsfrom said finger to said mechanism whereby a partial rotation of saidshaft in one direction will operate said whistle, a brakecontrollingmechanism located in said cab, and connections from said finger to saidcontrolling mechanism, whereby a further rotation of said shaft in thesame direction will move said controlling mechanism in the direction toapply the brake.

10. The combination of a locomotive-cab, a shaft extending transverselythereof, an upwardly-extending arm secured to the shaft and adapted topartially rotate said shaft by the deflection of said arm in contactingwith an obstruction in its path, a lever on said shaft, an electricswitch operated by the movement of said lever in one direction, anelectric lamp illumined by such movement, a second electric lampillumined by a further movement of said lever and switch in the samedirection, a finger on said shaft, a whistle and operating meanstherefor, connections from said finger to said operating means wherebythe partial rotation of said shaft will sound said whistle, abrake-controlling mechanism, means tending to move said controllingmechanism to apply the brakeand a restraining means therefor, andconnections from said finger to said restraining device, whereby thefurther rotation of said shaft in the same direction will apply thebrake, the said lamps, whistle, and brake-controlling mechanism locatedwithin said cab and serving as signals to an occupant thereof.

11. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a standard located nearthe track, two vanes pivotally mounted therein, one at a higher levelthan the other, adapted to hang vertically on such standard or to beheld extended transversely to the line of said track, in combinationwith an arm carried on the cab of a locomotive on said track, arrangedto strike said vanes and be deflected thereby, a finger also carried bysaid shaft, and means permitting. said finger to descend idly, a signallocated in said cab adapted to be operated by the deflection of said armcaused by passing beneath the uppermost of said vanes, and anotherindependent signal located in said cab and adapted to be operated by afurther deflection of said arm induced by passing beneath the lowermostof said vanes.

12. An electric switch having two contactpoints, a pair of electriclamps, a source of electricity, and connections from the latter to saidswitch, contact-points and lamps, whereby the movement of said switch toone of said contact-points will illumine one of said lamps and a furthermovement to the second contact-point will illumine the second lamp, incombination with a lever arranged to strike said switch to cause saidmovements, and a finger extending from said shaft at an angle to saidarm and lever, and an arm connected to said lever and arranged to bedeflected by contact with an obstruction in its path, the

degree of deflection being determined by the locomotive and having theoperating valveand an obstruction disposed at right angles to stem F,the detent F and spring-dog F ensaid arm on the cab to deflect the sameand to gaging said detent, a chain connected to said actuate the arm toelevate said arm. dog near its free end, the arm F on said valve- Intestimony thatIclaim the invention above 5 5 stem, and spring F tendingto move said stem .set forth I aflix my signature in presence of in thedirection to admit pressure to said two Witnesses. Whistle when the cetent is re easec connections from said chain to an arm on the exte-EDMUND POWERS rior of said cab arranged to be deflected by Witnesses:

10 contact With an obstruction in its path and R0131. CONNOR,

thereby lift said dog and release said detent, CHARLES R. SEARLE.

